How to Choose a Server for a WordPress Website

Before making the decision to purchase a server, we need to have a certain understanding of what a server is. Only by understanding and mastering the concept of a server can we make the right purchasing decision and choose the server that best suits the hosting requirements of our Website, avoiding unnecessary financial losses. Of course, if you choose Logic Thinking Digital Technology’s WordPress Website Development Packages, you can skip the step of selecting a VPS server yourself—our company will directly provide VPS (Virtual Private Server) package purchase recommendations. Choosing a hosting server for your independent site is an important decision, as it directly affects the site’s performance, security, and overall user experience. Therefore, it's essential to research various server specifications thoroughly before making a purchase decision. This article written by Logic Thinking Digital Technology serves precisely that purpose—to help you avoid pitfalls and choose the right VPS server for your independent site.

After clarifying your independent website’s needs and budget, you can begin searching for a suitable hosting service provider. By comparing the plans and packages of different providers online, you can make an informed decision. After reading this guide on how to choose a server for your independent website, you will become familiar with the performance indicators and purchasing factors of VPS (Virtual Private Servers) and also learn:

• Should You Choose a Virtual Host or a Virtual Private Server for Your Website?
• Which VPS Providers Offer Excellent Performance and Stable Operation, Suitable for Building WordPress Websites
• The Importance of Hardware Configuration for Hosting Independent Websites.
• How Does the Server's Geographical Location Affect the Website's Access Speed

The article "How to Choose a Server for Your WordPress Website" will cover various aspects of servers through the following organized content table. If readers wish to skip certain sections and read selectively, they can quickly navigate to the chapters they want to read by clicking the directory links below.

• What is a Website Server for an Independent Site? What is a VPS
• The difference between a server (VPS: Virtual Private Server) and hosting (web hosting space).
• What are the brands of Virtual Private Servers (VPS)? Recommended VPS providers.
• What hardware configurations are available for VPS servers?
• What are the key factors to consider when purchasing a server?
• Clarifying your needs and making the decision to purchase a VPS server.

Ⅰ、What is a Website Server for an Independent Site? What is a VPS

In today’s era of cloud computing, the term "website server" commonly refers to a cloud server. The more professional computer science term for this is a VPS (Virtual Private Server). Compared to physical servers used in the pre-cloud computing era, a VPS is a type of server created through virtualization technology that partitions a single physical server into multiple independent virtual servers. Each VPS has its own operating system, resources (such as CPU, memory, and storage), and root access, making it function like a standalone server. This concept is very similar to that of a virtual machine. When we talk about purchasing a website server for an independent site, it refers to renting a virtual private server with a dedicated IP address from a cloud service provider. The website files are then uploaded to this server, allowing the website to run and be accessible online. By using a VPS, users gain performance and control similar to a physical server, without the full burden of hardware and maintenance costs.

1. Key Features and Advantages of Virtual Private Servers (VPS)

1. Independence: Each VPS is like an independent server with its own operating system and resources. This means that the activities of one VPS will not affect the performance or security of other VPSs.
2. Cost-effectiveness: Renting a VPS is often more economical than purchasing a full physical server. It allows users to pay only for the resources they need, thus reducing costs.
3. Scalability: VPS provides flexible resource allocation and upgrade expansion options. Users can increase or decrease memory, processors, and storage space as needed without stopping the server.
4. Full Control: Users have the highest control over their VPS, which means that users can fully control and customize the server's configuration, security, and install a series of programs and plug-ins required to run the website.
5. High performance: Although VPS is a virtual resource of a physical server, it can achieve quite high performance through virtualization technology. This makes VPS an ideal choice for many websites and applications.
6. Isolation: Although multiple VPSs share the same physical server, they are isolated from each other. This means that a problem with one VPS will not affect other VPSs, improving security and stability

Ⅱ、The difference between a server (VPS: Virtual Private Server) and hosting (web hosting space).

VPS (Virtual Private Server) and hosting (web hosting space) are two common website hosting solutions for independent websites. Beginners who lack purchase experience and are unfamiliar with these options often confuse the two, thinking that VPS and hosting are the same. In reality, there are significant differences between the two. Understanding the key differences between VPS and hosting will help us make a more informed decision when purchasing a server. Here are the key distinctions between VPS and hosting:

1. Resource allocation and independence:

• VPS: Each VPS has independent resource allocation, such as processor, memory and storage space. They are created on a physical server through virtualization technology, so each VPS is relatively independent, with its own operating system instance and complete control permissions.
• Host: A host space is a shared environment typically created on a server. Multiple users share the resources of the same server, including processors, memory, and storage space. Resources are shared between users without independent control of operating system instances and root directories.

2. Performance and control:

1. VPS: Since each VPS has independent resources and operating system instances, users have higher performance and greater control. They can customize the operating system configuration, install programs and plug-ins, and adjust resources as needed.
2. Hosting: In a hosting space, since resources are shared, performance may be affected by other users. In addition, only the hosting provider can configure and manage the server, and users have relatively little control.

3. Cost and flexibility:

• VPS: VPS is more expensive than hosting, but it provides greater flexibility and control. Users can choose the required resources and the number of hosted websites according to their needs, and expand or reduce them according to their needs.
• Host: Hosting space is usually cheaper in terms of cost because resources are shared. However, due to the lack of independence and flexibility, users may not be able to meet specific needs. For example, in terms of the number of websites that can be hosted, the general hosting provider's usage package will clearly indicate how many websites the package is limited to hosting.

4. The impact of IP properties on website security:

• IP independence of VPS: Each VPS has an independent IP address, which means that websites hosted on one VPS will not be affected by websites on other VPSs. If there is a security problem with a website on another VPS, such as being hacked or sending spam, it will not directly affect your VPS. This independence provides greater security and isolation.
• IP Sharing of Hosting: Sharing IP addresses can lead to security risks. If other websites on the same IP address have security breaches or are hacked, the entire IP address may be blacklisted or blocked, which will affect all websites hosted on that shared IP address.

Ⅲ、What are the brands of Virtual Private Servers (VPS)? Recommended VPS providers

There are simply too many VPS (Virtual Private Server) providers to list exhaustively. Therefore, we will recommend only a few international and domestic cloud computing VPS providers that are commonly used and practically tested in the independent site building services of Logic Digital Technology. It is important to clarify that the content in this section—"Which brands offer Virtual Private Servers (VPS)?"—is entirely non-sponsored. Logic Digital Technology has not received any advertising fees, nor is there any commercial intent to promote the VPS providers mentioned above. These examples are shared solely to enrich the topic of this article and to guide readers in making informed and rational server purchasing decisions.

It’s important to distinguish between domestic and international VPS providers for two main reasons. First, VPS providers have data centers located in different geographical locations. Second, for Chinese websites that require ICP Filing (Internet Content Provider filing), domestic VPS providers must complete this filing before enabling the TCP/IP port 80 for website access. Additionally, the geographical location (IP address) of the VPS will have a significant impact on the website’s access speed. Ideally, the VPS location should match the country or region where your website operates, so that the server can respond quickly to user requests. When choosing a VPS provider, it’s crucial to understand which countries or regions their data centers are located in, and whether they have data centers in the region where your website operates.

The following distinguishes between VPS providers suitable for independent sites and domestic websites. This distinction is made because the business nature of independent sites and domestic websites requires different VPS providers. Due to the business region and site characteristics, independent sites cannot choose domestic VPS providers, as the data centers of domestic VPS providers do not meet the needs of independent sites. Independent sites must choose foreign VPS providers, whose data centers align better with the IP address requirements of the regions where the site operates. Domestic websites, due to mandatory ICP filing regulations, cannot choose foreign VPS providers, as it would be difficult to complete the compliance requirements for ICP filing. Therefore, it is necessary to choose between domestic and foreign VPS providers based on the operating region of the website. In terms of user experience, there is no significant performance difference between the VPS products from the recommended VPS providers, provided that the configurations and website types are aligned. Another notable difference is the pricing between domestic and foreign VPS providers. Generally, domestic VPS providers tend to be more expensive, while foreign providers offer better cost-performance ratios.

1. VPS providers suitable for independent sites

• GoDaddy: This is the most frequently purchased VPS provider in Logic Thinking Digital Technology’s independent site building business. Possibly due to being a Singapore-based company, GoDaddy allows purchases using domestic payment methods, making transactions highly convenient. The overall packages and their cost-performance ratio are also quite favorable. It offers a wide variety of Linux system options, and the backend interface and server configuration steps are clear and straightforward. Therefore, Logic Thinking Digital Technology ranks GoDaddy at the top of its VPS procurement list.
• Bandwagon Host: Bandwagon Host offers more package options than GoDaddy, including higher-spec configurations. When comparing packages with the same hardware specifications, Bandwagon Host is less cost-effective than GoDaddy. However, its high-performance hardware configurations are more aligned with the standards of high-performance servers. One thing that particularly impressed us about Bandwagon Host is its enhanced security—unlike the default SSH port 22 used by most providers, Bandwagon Host assigns SSH ports randomly through a more secure system-based method.
• AWS Amazon Cloud: The technological strength of Amazon is beyond doubt. At present, there are still free trial packages available. For those who want to experience the actual performance of Amazon Cloud, you can apply for a free trial and test it firsthand.

2. VPS providers suitable for domestic websites

• Alibaba Cloud: Logic Digital Technology's own website uses the server of Alibaba Cloud, and its stability and performance are quite satisfactory. In terms of ecology, Alibaba Cloud has a richer ecosystem than Tencent Cloud. However, in terms of the cost-effectiveness of the server alone, Alibaba Cloud's cost-effectiveness is lower than that of Tencent Cloud, and the flexibility of using the packages is also relatively poor.
• Tencent Cloud: Tencent Cloud is known as a conscientious cloud in China. It has various models with monthly payment, and there are also many discounts and promotions for various lightweight servers. In terms of performance, there is not much difference between Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud.

Ⅳ、What hardware configurations are available for VPS servers?

Virtual Private Servers (VPS) have hardware configurations similar to physical computers, including CPU, memory, and storage (hard drives). However, there are some key differences. Servers are not the same as personal computers, and even the hardware of physical servers differs from that of personal computers. The CPU, memory, and storage used in servers are from different series and models. In addition to the physical hardware used in servers, VPS hardware names are often specialized terms created due to virtualization technology. When purchasing a VPS server, one additional element to consider, which is not typically included in the hardware configuration list, is network bandwidth. Unlike when buying a personal computer, where network bandwidth is typically handled separately (e.g., via your internet service provider), the network bandwidth is a vital consideration when purchasing a VPS. For VPS servers, both hardware configuration and network bandwidth are bundled together and provided by the VPS provider.

Different VPS providers offer different hardware configurations in their packages. Based on the explanation above about the brands of Virtual Private Servers (VPS), you should be able to make an informed decision about which VPS provider to choose based on your website's operational nature. However, you may still find some confusion regarding the hardware configurations listed in their packages. No worries! Let's now provide a detailed explanation of the hardware configurations for VPS servers. The main hardware configurations of a VPS server are as follows:

1. vCPU: Some foreign VPS server providers label their CPUs as vCPUs. A vCPU can be simply understood as a shared CPU, which is created by using virtualization technology to divide a physical CPU into multiple virtual CPUs. CPU performance is measured in "cores," which reflect computing power—the more cores, the higher the computational capability. Although a vCPU is a virtualized CPU, it is still associated with an actual physical CPU core on the server. Therefore, it can be roughly understood that 1 vCPU is equivalent to a single-core CPU, 2 vCPUs are equivalent to a dual-core CPU in terms of computing power, and so on. While domestic VPS providers may label their CPUs directly as having a certain number of cores, from a technical perspective, they are also utilizing virtual technology to provide vCPUs.
2. Intel Xeon: Xeon is Intel’s Xeon CPU series. The Xeon series is Intel’s line of server CPUs specifically designed for server use. Back when I frequently purchased physical servers over a decade ago, Intel’s Xeon CPUs were already the standard configuration for servers. In general, if a VPS provider’s plan specifies that the CPU is a Xeon, it indicates that the CPU is directly mapped from a physical processor and not shared through virtualization technology. If your website or application requires high CPU performance, choosing a Xeon series CPU is a solid choice. As with any CPU, its performance is measured in “cores”—the more cores a Xeon has, the greater its computing power. Compared to Intel’s consumer-grade CPUs like Celeron, Pentium, and Core series, Xeon CPUs still hold an advantage in computing power, even when the core count is the same, as they are designed specifically for servers.
3. RAM: This refers to system memory, which is essentially the same as the memory (RAM) used in personal computers. In physical terms, there are two types of memory: server-grade and consumer-grade. However, after reviewing the VPS plan specs from various hosting providers, it’s clear that most only specify the memory capacity, without disclosing the type, brand, or model of memory used. RAM is measured by capacity, commonly in MB or GB—the larger the capacity, the better the performance. Based on LogicThink’s experience, memory usage on VPS-hosted independent sites tends to exceed CPU usage. This is closely related to how backend code is executed, as web application backends rely more heavily on sufficient memory to function properly.
4. Storage and Cloud Disk: Storage and cloud disk both refer to hard drives (disks), just in different terminology. Foreign VPS providers generally use SSDs—solid-state drives. Compared to traditional HDDs, SSDs typically offer much faster file read/write speeds, often several times faster depending on the specific models and specs. In contrast, VPS providers in China usually do not indicate the type of storage used, simply labeling it as “cloud disk” along with its capacity. Storage capacity is measured in GB and TB. Physical hard drives entered the TB era over a decade ago (1024GB = 1TB), yet VPS plans still most commonly list disk space in GB.
5. Bandwidth (Link Speed): This refers to the network transmission speed allocated to the VPS plan. Bandwidth is measured in either Mbps (Megabits per second) or Gbps (Gigabits per second). Foreign VPS providers typically offer plans with bandwidth measured in Gbps, while domestic VPS providers in China often list bandwidth in Mbps, and even use it as a key pricing factor. The reason behind this significant difference isn’t entirely clear to the author. It might be due to the varying infrastructure costs or policies between domestic and international networks—or perhaps for some other reasons…

Ⅴ、What are the key factors to consider when purchasing a server?

Choosing a VPS server to host an independent website is an important decision because it directly affects your website's performance, security, and user experience. The VPS server is the foundation on which your independent website operates on the internet. If the VPS server you choose does not match your website's requirements, certain key factors could directly affect the website's operational success. Therefore, in addition to understanding the content mentioned above, we also need to fully understand the key factors to consider when selecting a VPS server in order to make the correct purchasing decision. Below are several key factors to consider when selecting a hosting server:

1. Hardware configuration requirements: The CPU, memory and bandwidth of the VPS server are important hardware configurations that determine the performance of the website. The processing power of these hardware configurations and the size of the network bandwidth determine the loading speed of the web page and the transmission speed of the website content.
2. Scalability: Before placing an order for a server, you need to consider that your website may grow over time, and it is important to choose a hosting solution vendor with good scalability. This means that you can easily upgrade the server resources when you need to cope with the growing traffic and demand.
3. Security: Make sure the hosting provider you choose has strong security measures in place to protect your website and user data from hackers and malicious attacks. This includes features like firewalls, DDoS protection, security updates, and more.
4. Technical support: Make sure the hosting provider you choose can provide timely and effective technical support. This is very important for solving unexpected problems and ensuring server stability.
5. Price: Finally, consider your budget and the prices of different hosting plans. Typically, higher-priced plans offer better performance, security, and support, but you need to weigh the cost-performance ratio.

Ⅵ、Clarifying your needs and making the decision to purchase a VPS server.

There are many VPS server providers, and each provider offers a variety of packages with different hardware configurations. After reading the previous sections and gaining a better understanding of the differences between VPS server providers and their hardware configurations, we are no longer unfamiliar with the various aspects of VPS servers. Based on the attributes and plans of our website, we can clearly define the required VPS hardware configurations and key factors. Before placing an order, it is essential to clarify our needs. Once we have defined our needs, we will be able to determine which hardware configuration package is most suitable for us. Below is an explanation of the key dimensions of website requirements for VPS servers:

1. Performance Requirements: First, you need to determine your website’s performance requirements, such as expected traffic volume and page load speed. If your website needs to handle high traffic or demands high performance, it is necessary to choose a server with higher hardware specifications, such as an entry-level server with Intel Xeon quad-core CPU + 8GB RAM, or a plan with even stronger CPU and RAM configurations. If your website is smaller in scale, like a personal blog or small e-commerce site, then high-end CPUs are not a must—you can consider cost-effective plans with vCPUs like those offered by GoDaddy. One important tip: the minimum recommended configuration should be dual-core with 4GB of RAM. A single-core 2GB server would struggle even with a basic WordPress setup, as the WordPress admin dashboard consumes considerable server resources.
2. Storage Requirements: The storage size refers to the disk capacity, which should be determined based on the type of website you are building. For a newly launched e-commerce or blog website, where content is created gradually over time, 80GB of storage is generally sufficient. In fact, if the VPS provider offers flexible disk upgrade options, even 40GB may be enough in the beginning, since a new website won't need much disk space right away—unless your company already has a large editorial team capable of quickly producing a large amount of content. Another scenario to consider is if your website is already well-established with a significant amount of existing content. In that case, you should evaluate your current content volume to determine the appropriate storage size when purchasing your VPS.
3. Bandwidth Requirements: If you're using a foreign VPS provider, network bandwidth speed is generally not a major concern, as most international VPS plans offer high-speed bandwidth by default. However, if you're choosing a domestic VPS provider, it's recommended to go with at least 5 Mbps. Otherwise, the limited bandwidth may affect the loading speed of your website pages. Of course, if your budget allows, opting for a plan with higher bandwidth is always the better choice.
4. Data Center Location Requirements: The location of the data center refers to the geographical location of the server IP. Domestic VPS providers divide their network routes by regions, such as East China, South China, and Central China. You should select the route closest to your website visitors. For international VPS providers, the choice of server location follows the same logic—choose the country/region closest to your website’s visitors (customers). The access speed of a website is directly related to the distance between the server and the visitor, making it a crucial factor in the website’s page loading speed. If your website operates across multiple countries or regions, there are several solutions for such cross-border operations. One is to create subdomain sites, with each country/region corresponding to a sub-site. Another solution is to use a CDN, leveraging the global data centers of VPS providers for content distribution. LogicSoft Digital Technology will publish a separate article to explain CDN in detail, so we won’t elaborate further here.

Conclusion: The above is the complete content of this guide on "How to Purchase a VPS Server for an Independent Website." By reading each section of this article in order, readers should be able to make an informed decision when purchasing a VPS server suitable for their own independent site. If you still have questions after reading this conclusion, here is a final summary of the key information you need to understand before purchasing a VPS server. The order is as follows: First, based on the country/region where your website operates, you need to choose either a domestic or an international VPS provider. Second, you need to understand the server’s hardware configuration—that is, the different models, their performance levels, and their roles. Finally, be familiar with the key factors in selecting a server. Choose a VPS server plan based on your website’s size, expected traffic volume, type and amount of content, and other specific needs.

Lastly, if your time is valuable and the time cost of learning and technical practice is high, and you have no intention of diving deeply into technical study and hands-on implementation, and you're reading this article only to understand VPS server purchasing information—not to develop a WordPress website yourself—then it's best to leave professional tasks to professionals. If you need our expert WordPress site building and technical development services, you're welcome to contact the SZLogic Digital Technology team and entrust us with your WordPress website development.

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